Sewing-machine.



E. B. ALLEN.

SEWING MACHINE. AAPPLICATION FILED NOV. l., 1913.

Patented Octe 23, 1917.

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E. B. ALLEN. SEWING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED NOV. l'. i913.

IO SHEETS-SHEET 2.

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72% ,4 TOR/VEY vllmenmdl oct. 23, 1917.

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E. B. ALLEN.

SEWING MACHINE. APPLICAHO'N FILED Nov. z. |913.-

Patented 001;.. 23, 1917.-

10 SHEETS-SHEET 3- Lmo;

WIT/VESSES E.' B. ALLEN.

SEWING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED Nov. I, I9I3'. 1,243,679. Patented 00L. 23,1917.

l0 SHEETS-SHEET 4'. L

f Y oImILFfV vE. e. ALLEN.

SEWING MACHINE.

l APPLICATION FILED NOV. l. 1913. l i

, 1,2'f3g79.v Patented oct. 23,1917

l I0 SHEETS-SHEET 5.

E. B. ALLEN.

v SEWING MACHINE. APPLICATION FILED Nov. I'. 1913.

.Patented Oct. 23, 1917.

l0 SHEETS-SHEET 6.

WIM/5885s:

E. B. ALLEN.

SEWING MACHINE. APPLICATION FILED NOV. Il I9I3.`

Patented Oct. 23, 1917.

140 10 SHEETS-SHEET 7.

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, E. B. ALLEN.

SEWING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED IIov. I. I9I3.

i0 SHEETS-SHEET 8.

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Patented oet. 23,1917..

E. B.ALLEN. SEWING MACHINE.

APPLICATION vFILED NOV. I. 1913.

Patented oet. 23,1917.

' /NI/ENTH E. B. ALLEN. SEWING MACHINE.

` APPLICATION FILED NaI/.1. 1913. 1,243,69. mama `OCI. 23,1917

10 SHEETS-SHEET 10.

' -w/mfssfs: v I /IvI/f/vm/I- EDWARD Y.A]'.IE1\T, 0F BRIDGEPORT, CONNECTICUT, A-SSI'GNOR TO THE SINGER MANUFAGTUBING C OMPAJNY, A CORPORATION 0F NEW JERSEY.

SEWING-MACHINE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

patented oct. aaien.

Application led November 1, 1913. ISerial No. 798,627.

citizen of the United States, residing at Bridgeport, in the county ofFaireld and State of Connecticut, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Sewing- Machines, of which the following isa. speciication, reference .being had Atherein to the accompanying drawings. v

lThis inventionhas for 'its primary object to provide means for presen-ting with prequired position toreceivethe stitching and with the least possible loss-of time between stitching periods, in order that the' stitching mechanisms may be operated approximately continuously and that the maxi-mum capacity of the latter may be thus utilized. It has for a further objectthe provision of automatically acting means whereby similar articles Y such as collars or cuffs, may be accurately positioned upon a suitable carrier while one or more buttonhole'stitchingma chinesare in operation upon lthe preceding article and such Varticle may be thereafter conveyed to the stitching 'mechanism or ,mechanisms at-the completion of the stitching period without any further 'action'or attention on the part of the attendant.

While stitching machines of various types and varieties may be used in connection with the resent invention'in its broader aspect, the improvement is designed more particularly for performance of a class of 'work involving the i use of buttonhole stitching machines comprising' stitch-forming mecha'- nism and feeding mechanism for moving the work to space the stitches and including a work-clamp with means for imparting feeding vand side-shift movementsthereto. In

the preferred form of the improvement, a

plurality of traveling carriers are provided,-

each having perimetrical work-guides. and adjacent work-gripping means 1n the form of nippers for maintaining the edges of theA work in contact with such guides during the travel of the carrier. The nippers are maintained retracted in the position of the' carriers for receiving 'the articles to be' stitched, but are closed upon the work at'the beginning of its travel to stitchingvposition wherein it is inv register with the workably previously opened to admit it, after clamlp the clamp is closed and the nippers vvliic i retracted to permit the feed of the work for l the stitching operation. At the .completion of the stitching operatiointhe article now provided with the stitching is again gripped uponhthe carrier and the clamp is opened to releasethe'work and permit its continued travel for delivery from the machine while another article is introduced within the .clampby the succeedin carrier. v cision to sewing machines designed to pro- 'l ,duce series of stitches in independent'groups or patterns individual articles in: the re- Each of thecarriers is, preferably mounted uponv one ofthe elements of an endless conveyer and is provided with means where- .by it is lmoved. transversely of its normal direction of travel after presentationof its article to one stitching-mechanism so as to present another portion of the same article to a second feeding and stitching mechanism vof t-he same or different character, depending,

Aproducing buttonholes at thev opposite ends of thearticles to be stitched.

The sewing machines employed are or may be of any suitable type, each vbeing preferi rovi-ded,oin addition tothe stitching and eeding mechanisms, with buttonhole cutting mechanism and astop-motion device vfor controlling the timing and period of action of -the stitching and feeding mechanisms and also automatic thread-'cutting I mechanism for severing the stitching threads atthe end of each stitching cycle. Themachines,4 as thus constituted, are mountedv upon a'supporting frame uponopposite. sides of the traveling conveyer sustaining the 'work-carriers, the one being slightly in ad- Vance of the other relatively to the, direction of travel of the carriers. The supporting 4frame has joiirnaledY therein van intermittently rotating shaft provided with cam-elef ments'which actuate and control the various .parts of the work-presenting Vmeans and the work-clamps of the stitching machines, and

also' set the stitching machines .in actionl after delivery of the work to the Workclamps.

v The work-clamps having been closed upon the Workfthe actuation of the stop-motions tov start the stitching` and feeding mechanisms actsl throughl suitable connections to retract the work-grippers of the carriers for release lof the work so as to permit -free movement of each article under thel action of its respective sewing ma-chine feeding mecha-nism during astitching operation, at

' riers then in register therewith. The articles thus provided with buttonholes may be retained each upon its respective carrier until the latter returns to starting position wherein means are provided for opening the workgrippers, or means may be provided earlierin the travel of the carrier'from the stitching mechanisms for opening the work-grip- Y pers to deliver the stitched article at some other point in the travel of the carrier. rEhe work-carrying means may evidently be simpliiied by locating both stitching mechanisms upon the same side of the path of travel of the work to provide for stitching both buttonholes successively at one end of a cuff which may be thereafter reversed to receive the buttonholes at the opposite end.

nvthe accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a front elevation, Fig. 2 a rear elevation, Fig. 3 a top plan view and Fig. 4 a bottom plan view of a machine embodyingthe present improvements, with that part of `the frame sustaining the power-shaft omitted. Figs-5 and 6 are.,elevations, taken from the opposite ends, of the entire machine. Fig. 6a is a detail View of a portion of one of the nipper-release devices. Fig. 7 is a plan and Fig. 8 an elevation partly in section of a part of the work-conveying mechanism; and Figs. 9 and 10 are similar Views of the same mechanism in a different stage of operation. Fig. 11 is a sectional elevation of another portion of the conveying mechanism. Fig.

12 is a detail sectional elevation representing one of the work-clamp operating devices.V Fig. 13 is a view similar to Fig. 12

showing the mechanism for timing the operation of the. controlling 4cam-shaft, Fig. 14 is a similar view of the clutch device of such mechanism, and Fig. 15 a perspective view showing the clutch-dog upon an enlarged scale. Fig. 16 is a sectional elevation representing the controlling cam-shaft with its driving means ard clutch device and alsoV nected parts, and Figs. 2 1 and 22 are r'espectively a plan and transverse section of the sliding carriage sustaining one of the work-carriers. Fig. Q3 is a plan of a portion of the .work-conveyer showing twovadjacent carriers one of which sustains a cui'f to be stitched.' Figs. 24 and 25 are-edge views of portions of a carrier with its gripping devicesin closed and open position respectively with the controlling member therefor. 'F ig. 26 is a perspective view of the controlling rock-lever of the cam-shaft clutch device. Fig-27 is a transverse section of one of the'work-carriers and its lsupportingcarriage. j

The main frame of-the machine is shown constructed with the table 1 and the end standards 2 provided with the upright members 3 sustaining the bearings 4 for the longitudinally arranged countershaft 5. rlhe shaft 5 is driven by means of-a belt 6 from the source of power embracing the grooved belt-wheel 7 secured upon said shaft; and this shaft is further provided with the small belt-wheel 8 for rotating the cam-shaft and the larger belt-wheels 9 and 10 from-.which the stitching mechanisms are driven.

` As represented in the drawings, the mechanism of the present improvement comprises right and left-hand straight-buttonhole cutting and stitching machines of the wellknown lSinger type constructed substantially as represented in my United States devices omitted in some of the figures and represented in part only in certain other figures. |These machines are substantially identical in Construction, excepting in certain minor details. Fach is constructed with a hollowbraeket-arm 11 whose standard rises from the bed-plate 12 sustained upon the hollow base 13 secured upon the table l. The machines are arranged with their bracket-arms directed toward each other but spaced apart both endwise and sidewise relatively'to their lengths.

Each sewing machine comprises the usual main-shaft provided at its rearward end with the grooved fast and loose pulleys 14 and 15, connected with the former of which is the peripherally notched stopping cam 16, and at its opposite end with a rectilinearly reciprocatingrand laterally jogging needle-bar 17 carrying the needle 18 which in practice coperates withI the shuttle mounted in the shuttle-race 19 beneath the bed-plate. .Adjacent the needle is disposed the slit-cutting knife 20 mounted in the block 21 secured to the cutter-bar 22 which, is journaled in the head of the bracket-arm and having an operative connection including the rock-levers 23 and 24 with a lateral stud 25 carried by the spring-l pressed plunger-rod 26 mounted in' the tilting` stop-lever 27 and cooperating with the stopping cam 16. The stop-lever 27 is proy vided with the lateral arm 28 pivotally con` nected with the operating rod l29 which is in practice locked in its lower position in-'op-` position to the stop-lever spring 30 by a latchlever controlled by the feed-cam wheel 31.

The work-feeding mechanism comprises the cam-Wheel 31, which is in practice connected with the main-shaft, which is operatively connected with the lower clamp-plate 32 mounted to receive from the cam-Wheel step-by-step feeding movements longitudinally of the bed-plate for spacing the edgecovering stitches and side-shift m'ovements for positioning the`lines of edge-covering stitches and the usual barring stitches at the opposite ends thereof. Opposed to the clamp-plate 32 is the clamping y foot or check 33 sustained by the-spring-pressed clamp-arm 34 which isppivotally connected by means of the pin and lugs 36 and 37 to the'clamp-plate 32 by which itis sustained and with which it constitutes the Work clamp or holder. l

Each stop-lever 27 is provided with a lateral arm 27 ing fork 38, the arm 27 of the right-hand machine (Figs. 1, 3 and 5) being provided with a handle 39'for manual control of the lever 27, while theoperating rod 29 of the l left-hand machine has rigidly secured there-v to the handle 40 for a like purpose. The loose pulley of theright-hand machine is shown embraced by the direct belt 41v from the driving'pulley-wheel4 9 of the countershaft loose pulley of the left-hand machine is similarly embraced by the crossed belt 42 from 'the driving pulley-Wheel 10, one limlo of such belt passing around the idler wheel t3 sustained by the adjacent frame-standard. These power transmitting belts are guided as usual'by the respective belt forks 38.

The cam-shaft il is sustained near the opposite ends in the hangers depending from the table 1 and at intermediate points b v the bearings 46 'secured upon the bottom of a transverse open-ended casing-47 dee pending from the table 1 and serving as a housing for certain portions of the Workconveyer. of the cam-shaft 44 is the pinion #L8 upon whose hub i8 is secured by means of the setlscrew -fl9 the hul of the grooved belt-i wheel 59 which is emlraced by and derives continuous rotary movement from -the crossed belt 51 embracing -the driving beltwheel 8 of the countershaft 5. The members 48 and 5() are confined against the hub l5 of the hanger 45 by means of the collar Si secured upon thc cxtren'iity of the shaft 14.

Meshing with the pinion 48 is the gearwheel 53 whose hub 54 is mounted upon a stud 55 lsustained by the hanger and is provided with a belt-guidwhile the corresponding- Loosely mounted upon one end is the hub of a gear-Wheel (32 into and out of mesh with which the sliding pinion is adapted to be shifted by means of the starting lever 63 fulcrumed upon the screw-stud G1 and provided With the handle 65 disposed at the upper end above the tableA l and forked at its opposite endto embrace such pinion. By'means of the lever 63 the beltwheel 5() is adapted. to .be operatively connected with and disconnecte from the ratchet-Wheel 60 which affords a member` of the clutch device' through which the camshaft derives periodical :rotary movements.

Thev ratchet-Wheel .60 ishoused Within a circular cavityin one face of the cam-cylin-- der 6G formed with the peripheral camgroove 67 and having its hub 68 fixed upon the cam-shaft by means of the pin 69 (Figs. 13, 1l and 16), The ratchet-Wheel cavity has at one side a segmental extension povided Witha bearing socket entered by the fulcrum-stud. 7() of the coupling pawl 71 disposedv within said extension with its'oper-A ative extreinity`72 normally Apressed into operative relatlon with the peripheral teeth of the ratchet-wheel by means of'a spring the end of the pawl and the'other bearing upon the outer wall'of the segmental cavityeXtension,-the intermediate portion yofthe spring beingcoiled around the stud-screw 7 5; The pawl is confined Within the cavity by means of a segmental plate 76'secured in position by the screw 77 and overlapping the tulcrumed portion of the paWl.

The outer end of the paiyl 71 is provided.

with a laterally mojeoting wing 71 Which is loo 7l having one 'limb'entering a recess 73 in adapted to ride up the outwardly inclined cam-finger 78 secured by screws' 79 to the .depending arm 80 of a plural-armied-controlling lever having a hub 8l from which projects downwardly and divergently from the arm 80 the shorter arm-82 carryingat its le\tremity the roller-stud :33 entering the peripheral cam-groove 67 of the cam-cylinder 66. Mounted within the depending bear- .ing lugs 84 of the base-plate 85 of one of the cam-shaft hangers 45 is joitrnaled a rock-shaft S6 disposed horizontally and transversely to the cam-shaft and yupon whi -li the controller-lever hub 81 is secured by means of the set-screws 87.

The cam-groove G7 of the cylinder-.86

its operative .Wallnearest the ratchet-Wheel GO inclined transversely so as to impart a slight rocking movement to the controllerlever suficient to shift the cam-finger 78 from laterally retracted position out of the path of movement of the paWl-Wing 71 into said path, this groove having an enlargement at 67 at the high point of the cam, as represented in Figs. 16 and 19, to provide clearance for shifting the controller-lever in the opposite direction to discngage the camfinger from the pawl so as to permit reestablishment of driving relation between the ratchet-Wheel and the cam-disk 66 through the pawl. By the means just described the cam-Wheel, and coi'isequently the cam-shaft 44, becomes uncoupled from its driving means at the end of each complete rotation thereof.

Secured upon the rock-shaft 86 by means of the set-screw 88 is the hub 89 of rocklever having oppositely extending arms 90 and 91. The lever-arm 90 carries a pivotal pin 92 upon which is'mounted intermediate its ends the paivl-lever 93 provided with hooked upper extremity 91 adapted for engagementW-ith a lateral tooth or shoulder- 95 of a collar 96 ixed upon the lower end of the stop-motion plunger-rod 26 of the right-hand sewing machine. r1`he lower extremity of the lever 93 carries a lateral stud 97 normally maintained in contact with the face of the cam-cylinder 66 or the segmental cam-rib 98 thereon by means of the spring 99 connecting the'lower arm of the pawllever with the rock-lever arm 90.

The cam-Shaft has secured thereon adja cent the cam-cylinder 66 by the transverse.

outwardly extending portion composed of' convergent eccentric or operative parts, as represented in Fig. 17;

Each cam-groove 105 is entered by a lateral stud 106 of an arm 107 having its hub 108 fixed upon the rock-shaft 109 mounted near one end in the hanger 110 and at 'the opposite end in the bearing boss 111 Whose foot 112 issecured to the side of the casing 47. Each rock-shaft has secured thereon at the opposite side of the hanger 110 the hub 113 of alateral arm 114, each of such arms being connected by means of a chain 115 with the eyed lovver extremity of one of the operating .rods 29 of the stop-lever '27 by means of Which the timing of operationv of the stitching'and feeding mechanisms of the .respective sowing machines is controlled.

When the entire machine is stopped by shifting the handle 65 of lever 63 to the nea-acre roller-stud 83 across the clearance space a{fouled/by'u the enlargement 67 of the camygroove 67.

When the starting lever63 is shifted to throw the constantly running pinion 57 into mesh with the cam-shaft driving gear-Wheel 62, the machine is in condition forcontinuous operation, the stitching mechanisms being started by the rocking of the shafts 109 from the cam-shaft as described, just prior to each arrest of the cam-shaft, and rotation of the cam-shaft beingresumed at the completion -of each stitching period.

As the rocking of the controller-lever under the normal' action of the cam-groove 67 upon the roller-stud83 causes the tilting of the arm 90 and corresponding descent of the paWl-lever 93, the latter is retracted from the path of movement of theshoulQder 95v of the collar 96 carried by the plungerrod until its hooked extremity 94C has descended slightly below such shoulder in the position it assumes When the stitching mechanism is at rest, such retraction being effected by engagement of the segmental cam-rib 98 with the stud 97 upon the pavvllever. vUpon the descent of the collar 96 with the plungergrod 26 under the action of the cam 16 in stopping the stitching mechanisnnthe paWl-lever snaps over the shoulder 95 and is lifted thereby to tilt the controller-lever as before described.

Either stitching machine may be set in motion independently of the other and of the operation of the cam-shaft bypressing down the handle 39 or 40 of its respective operating rod 29, in order to restitch an imperfect buttonhole in case of breakage of thread or for other causes. i Secured upon the bottom of. the 'Qasing 47 is a bearing member 116 sustaining a fulcrum-pin 117 upon which is mounted the rock-lever 118 of-which one arm is connected .its ends upongthe fixed stud 122 and having at its opposite end a pivotal connection with the pushf-rod 123 extending upwardly through anl aperture in the table 1 and provided at its upperend with a button 124.

, lever in such manner that lthe"r\ llerstud 83 normally rests in Contact ,with the controlling wall yof the cam-groove`67`. Infcase the controller-lever should fail through any meansgto beg suitably actuated to disengage the caminger- 78 from the clutch-pawl 71, a pressure 10i the-operator upon 'the button. 124 will operate to` manually rock the lever 118 A'by means ofjwhich the controller-lever will be tilted to eect `the reclutching of the cam-shaft with its driving means.

To prevent the overthrow of the camshaft under the action of the ratchet-andpawl clutch device by which it is periodically coupled with its driving means, the hub 101 of the cam-disk 102 is'embraced by a brake strap '125 which is preferably provided with the leather facing 126 and which has its opposite ends secured to the stud 127 depending from the foot 85 of the hanger 45, as Yrepresented particularlyv in Figs. 1 and 16. The two limbs of the strap are preferably drawn together by means of the transverse .screw-bolt 128 in a manner well-known. To prevent possible recoil of the cam-shaft with the parts secured'thereon, when freed Vfrom operative connection with its driving means, the cam-rib 98 is provided with peripheral notches 129 '(Fig..

' 13) adapted for engagement bythe nose of the detent-pawl 130 journaled upon the screw-pin 131 which is sustained by the supporting plate 1.32 depending from the hanger 55 to which it is secured' by means of the stud 55 andclamp-nut 55, the paw] being pressed by the spring 133 (Fig. 12) in operative relation with the periphery df the cam-rib 98.

Mounted in suitable bearing brackets 134 whose feet 135 are secured by means o f `-screw-bolts-136 upon and at opposite edges of the table 1 are the parallel sprocket-wheel shafts 137 `and 138 disposed longitudinally of the frame 'and parallel with' the camshaft 44. Upon each of these shafts are fixed the hubs 139 of a pair of spaced sprocket-wheels 140 having the peripheral notches 141.,-l The sprocket-wheel at the left `on the shaft 137 (Figs. 6 and v9) is provided near the rim with a series'of apertures 142. Sustained by and deriving traveling movements from these pairs of sprocket-wheels is an endless conveyer comprising a series of transversely channeled blocks 143 each having extended divergently from the margin of one of its faces peforatedears 144. Each of theseears'is connected with the nearer l ear'of the adjacent block by a series of linl's the cross-pins 146 each carrying uponits` 145 connected together and to said ears by outer end an anti-friction roller- 146 adapted to roll upon the parallel supporting .rails 147 secured to suitable posts 147 of the table intermediate the 4sprocket-wheels ur140 and driving relation with the peripheral notches ofthe sprocket-wheels.

The rearward sprocket-wheel-shaft 137` has fixed upon its left-hand end the gearwheel 148 meshing with the intermediate gear-wheel 149 mounted upon a fixed bearing stud 150 and meshing in turn with the gear-wheel 151, (Figs. 2,4, 6 and 18) journaled uponthe fixed bearing having securedthereto the driving diskl .153 vprovided with the uniformly spaced radial slots 154 extending .inwardly from its periphery and adapted t0 receive the lateral drivin stud 155 secured uponthe righthand Face of the cam-cylinder 103 near its periphery. (Figs. 4 and 18). The slots 154 ,are so lspaced apart that the stud .155 enters one of them and communicates to the gear stud 152 aand 151 a partial rotation for each rotation of the cam-shaft 44, thereby imparting to the conveyer through the supporting sprocketwheels an advance movement preparatory to each vstitching cycle followed by a period of rest. p

Each conveyer block 143 is provided with an undercut channel 143 arranged crosswise of the direction of movement of the conveyer and provided' in the bottom with a slot extending longitudinally thereof. .Sustained by each block 143 is .a carriage composed of a rectangular block 15'6 flanged along its lower edges to fit said channel and having v secured thereon by means of the screws 157 a cruciforml plate 158 (Figs. 11, 21 and 22) also formed in its lower face with an undercut'channel'159 transverse to that of the block 143 andl formed with the slot 159', Fitted within the channel of the plate 158 is the slide-block 160 provided upon its upper face with the screw-,stud 161 and dowel-pins 162. To the lower facevof the block 156 is secured by means of the screw 163 the stud 164 depending therefrom through the slot of the block 143 and carying bat its lower-end the anti-friction ,roller 165.

Each work-carrier comprises a lower plate -166 and an upper plate 167 havin an upwardly offset portion overlapping t e lower plate in order' that their outer end portions, provided withfthe stitching apertures 168,

Vmay be flush.v The lower plate 166l has a round apertureto receive the stud 161 and the upper plate a slot l169 to embrace said stud and to permit of endwise adjustment relativelythereto,'.the two plates being clamped upon the carriage by means of a nut e170 applied to-the screw-stud 161. The component plates of the carrier are adjustably secured together by means of a screw-stud 171. projecting fromA the top ofthe lower plate through a slot 172 of the upper plate and an aperture in the inturnedlip 173 of the arched shield-plate 174 'covering the overlapping portions of the carrier sections, a clamp-nut 175 being applied to said stud verse lip 180 having serrated inner face. The

lip 179 has an adjustable facing comprising a flange 181 with the footpiece 182 formed with an aperture surrounding and larger in diameter than the shank of the screw 178 to permit ofadjustment crosswise of the foot 176 as well as endwise with the same, the lower face of the foot 176 being in practice channeled to receive the' foot 182 of the facing tiange.

The corresponding edge of the carrierplate 167 is provided at the opposite end with the upturned flange 167l to which is vadjustablysecured by means of screws 183 passing` through slots 184 (Figs. 1'and 2) J[he upturned li-p 185 of the angular plate 186 provided with the upturned guide-lip 187 serrated similarly to the guide-lip 180 and disposed at right angles with the flange 167. Thesaw-tooth serrations of the guide-'lips 180 and 187 are directed toward the rearward edges of the plates provided with the work-guides so that a rectangular article such as theycuif c (Fig. 23) will by reason of the elasticity of the arched intermediate body portion maintain its opposite ends in leffective engagement with the lips 180 and 187 and thereby hold' its adjacent edges securely in contact with the guide 179 181 and the guide afforded by the upturned flange 167 As represented in the drawings, each of the carrier-plates has formed thereon two spaced integral bearing bosses 188 and 189, respectively, in alternating arrangement and adapted to receive a fulcrum-pin composed of the telescopic sections 190 and 191 each of which is secured in one of the end bearing bosses 188 and 189. This rod serves as a guide to maintain the carrier-plates in alinement in all adjustments for articles of diferent lengths. Upon the end portion of each of these fulcrum-pin sections is itted l:the apertured boss 192 of a nipper-lever having a forwardly extending arm 193 whose extremitv affords a work-nipping jaw acting o 'u' f 1n con]unct1on with the beveledmargm 168 of the clearance aperture 168, while an oppositely extending arm 194 has an upwardly arched extension 195 for engagement with the nipper-releasing devices. Interposed between a socket lformed in the lower side of' the lever-arm 194 and the ear 196 upon a block 197 secured to the adjacent bearing boss is a nipper-spring 198 adapted to maintain the nipperjaw normally pressed upon the work. In the drawings, each nipper-j aw is shown provided with a bentshield-plate 199 secured thereon by screws 200 and having a downwardly inclined portion directed toward the jaw to facilitate introduction of the work when the jaw is raised, as represented in Fig. 25.

Secured upon the machine frame by suitable means is an endless track comprising horizontal portions 201 arranged respectively above and below the table 1 and con'- Y nected at the opposite ends by the semi'- circular portions 202, this track being prbvided in its outer face with the guiding groove 203 to receive the roller-stud 165 of the carriage 1.36 158. The horizontal track portions 201- extend straight from the front of the machine to a position about opposite the left-hand machine, then in an inclined direction toward the right to a point about opposite the Aright-hand machine wherein it is formed with a cross-member 204 having the intersecting undercut channel-way 205, whence it continues toward the rear of the machine in a direction parallel with that ii'rst named; the lower section being a counterpart of the upper section but without the cross-member containing the intersecting channel-way (Figs. 3, 4 and 20).

lVithin the channel-way 205 is fitted 'the slide-block 206 formed with the transverse groove 207 adapted to` register with the groove 203 and provided with a depending apertured boss 208 passing through. the elongated opening 205 of the' cross-member 204 (Figs. 8 and 10). Within the aperture of the-boss 208 is fitted the longitudinally disposed slide-bar 209 provided at the adjacent y end with tlfe thrust-collar 210 and at the opposite end with a collar 211 having an ear 212 pivotally connected by the stud-screw 213 with a boss 214 at the upper end of the roek-lever 215 fulcrumed by means of the studscrew 216 upon the bearing stud 217 depending from the shaft-hanger foot-plate a member 224 of a tripping frame having its` kvvardly by means of springearm 223 upon arms 225 pivotally connected by means of the pin 226 upon the bearing 227 secured upon the top of the table 1. Beneath the eX tremity of the frame member 224 is one arm 228 of an angle-lever fulcrumed by means of the stud-screw 229 upon the bearing member 230 secured upon the table 1 and provided with an upwardly extending bent arm 231 having its vertical upper portion 232 crossing the plane of movement of the carrier-plate 167 by which it is adapted to be engaged (Fig. 10), When the slide-bar 209 advances to shift the `slidefblock 206 and with it the workJcarrien-so as to cause the tilting of the angle-lever, the lifting of the tripping frame and consequent disengagement of the paWl-lever from the notch 209. The angle-lever arm 228 is shownformed with a lug 228 normally resting upon the table.

The boss 214 is provided with a lateral extension 233 to Which is pivotally connected by means of the bolt 234 one extremity of the link 235 Whose opposite end is pivoted by means of the pin 236 withili the fork 237 of the locking slide-rod 238 which is mounted in the bearing 239 secured upon the table 1 and has the-tapered extremity' 238 adapted to enter the apertures 142 of the sprocket-wheel 140 nearest the sprocket driving gear (Figs. 6 and 9). In the rctracted position of the slide-bar 209 wherein the groove 207 of theslide-block 206 isin register with the track-groove 203, the sprocket locking rod 238 is retracted, as represented in Fig. 7; but when the bar 209 is in its advance position wherein the carrier is shifted laterally into register with the right-hand stitching machine, the locking rod 238 is in its operative' position wherein it passes through one of the apertures 142 of the sprocket-wheel, as represented. in Fig. 9.4

This sprocket locking 'meanssnof consider able importance, because it insures the exact register of the carrier with the stitching mechanism of each of the sewing machines, the Aconveyer beingmaintained tautl byA ad! justment of the .forward sprocket-wheel shaft bearing bracket, the foot 135of which (Fig. 20) is provided with the elongated aperture'135 to receive the fastening bolts by which it is securedY upon the table.

SecuredV upon the table is the foot 240 of a bracket 241`provided with the bearing boss 242 in which is journaled the rock-shaft 243 having fixed thereon at one end of the boss 242 the hub 244 of a depending arm 2.45 carrying at its lower end the tappet block 240 having the inclined forward face 240 adapt ed to engage the correspondingly inclined 'rearward face 247of the ram-block 247 having a boss 248 fixed upon the'slide-lmr 209 adjacent the collar 211'.

The portion of the rock-shaft 243 opposite the bearing boss 242 has fixed thereon one end of the rectangular nipper release frame 249 formed at'its opposite end with spaced ears to which are secured the bosses 250 projecting from the upper face of the nipper release plate 251 having the forward edge slightly upturned. The frame 249 is normally1 presse-d upwardly into contact with the stop-rod 252 connecting the two sewing machine frames by engagement with the lateral arm 253 at one end of a spring 254 coiled around the bearing boss 242 and having its" opposite end secured to the latter.

lVhen the slide-bar 209 is in retracted position. the engagement of the tappet-block 240 with the cam-block 247 (Fig. 9) causes the 'rocking of the shaft 243 to depress the nipper release plate upon the arms 195 of the nippcrs beneath lthe same for retraction of the nipping jaws of the work-carrier positioned to receive the next article to be stitched., (Figs. 3, 5, 6 and 25)-`r but when the bar 209 advances to move the carrier laterally and lock the conveyer mechanism, the tappetbloc k 246 and cam-block 247 are disengaged (Fig. 7) to permit the rise of the nipper release plate 251 for disengagement from the nippers (Fig. 24) 'which latter are caused under the action of their springs 198 to assume work-gripping relation with the Abe automatically lifted at the completion of each stitching cycle by means connected with the stop-motion device, asrepresented for in'- stance in my Patent No. 738,591, of September 8, 1903, but it is preferably operated byl means acting in' advance thereofI to close the work-clamp' and subsequently thereto in reopening the same.

' In the present machine, an extension 34 of each work-clamp arm 34 has connected therewith a chain passing through an aperture inthe table 1 and attached at its lower end to the extremity of a bent lever 256having its hub 257 fulcrumed upon the rock-shaft 109. Each of the levers 250 earries a lateral stud 258 (Figs. 12 and 10) entering an actuating (run-groove 259 formed respectivelyv in one face ot' the camhub 261 Xedyuipon the cam-shaft 44 adjacent the cam-cylinder 103. rlhecam-grooves the clamping feet operating through theV clearance apertures 08 of the work-carriers to clamp the work upon the respective 4 throat-plates for the usual stitch-forming and feeding operations.

The stop-lever 27 of each stitching machine carries V beneath its fulcrum 27 a lateral roller-stud 202 adapted for engagement with the downwardly inclined face of an extension 203 at the end ofone arm 204 of a nipper release rock-lever fulcrumed by means of the stud-screw 265- upon a bearing 260 secured upon the bed-plate 12 .and having an oppositely extending arm 207 provided at its extremity with the lateral finger 268 normally positioned directly above the arm 195 of one of the Work-nipper levers. When the stop-levers 27 are shifted to lstart the stitching mechanisms subsequently to the engagement of the work by the cl-amping feet 33, the encounter' ofthe inclined operative faces of the extensions .263 by the roller-studs 202 causes the tilting of the nipper release rock-levers 20-1 207 in opposition to their respective springs 269, thereby bringing each of the fingers 268 into forcible engagement with the nipper lever arm 195 directly beneath the saine which causes the release of that portion of the work beneath it to permit it to perform feeding movements under the action of the sewing machine feeding mechanism while the opposite end portion of the article remains gripped by the other nipper-lever of thev carrier,the flexibility of the fabric readily permitting the feed of one portion of the work while the other remains clamped upon the then stationary work-carrier.

1n the machine as thus far described, provision is made for application of the work to each carrier, followed by presentation thereof successively `to each of the stitching and feeding mechanisms from the second of which it is conveyed to initial position from which it may be removed by the oper ator and Areplaced bya succeeding article. In order that the work may be automatically discharged from the machine after the stitching has been completed, provision is made for opening the nipperswhile the cui rier is below the level of the table.

As represented in the drawings, the table 1 has depending from its forward edge the spaced flanges 1 to which are secured by bolts270 the corresponding flanges 271 of thetable extensions 272 arranged at the Leaders opposite sides of the path of travel of the conveyer. tensions 272 are 'the bearings 273 sustaining the rock-shaft 27st which is confined against end wise displacement by means of the thrust collars djustably secured upon the rock-shaft 274; by means of the set-screw 276 is the lateral arm 277 having' adjustably secured to its outer end, by means of the fastening screw 278 entering a .slot therein,

`the :flipper-release plate 279 disposed transversely thereof and adapted for engagement with the nipper-lever extensions 195 of 'the carrier below and at the front of the table (Figs. 3,-1, and 0)..

The rock-shaft 27st has secured upon its left-hand end portion the depending crankarm 280 pivotally connected by means of the studecrew 281 with one end of a pitman 282 whose opposite end is similarly connected by means of the stud-screw 283 with a crank-arm-28d having its hub adjustably secured by means of the set-screw upon the stop-motion controlling rockshaft 109.

r1`he parts are so arranged and proportioned that when the rocleshaft 109 is actuated to shift the stop-lever 27 of the left-hand machine, the crank-arm 284: is moved to rock the shaft 27 it, thereby'throwing the nipper-release plate 279 from its full line. position to its dotted line position (Fig. 0) so as to retract both nipper-levers of the adjacent work-carrier for release of the work which is enabled to drop by gravity into a suitable receptaclev arranged at the 'front of the machine within the convenient reach vof the attendant. The cam-groove 105 of the cam-cylinder 103 is so shaped that the rock-shaft 109 is returned to initial position immediately after performing its functions,l so that the nipper-release plate 279 is retracted out of operative position before the succeeding travel of the conveyer, thereby preventing interference between the same and the adjacent carrier.

As before stated, the` stitching machines are preferably provided with thread-cutting devices which are or may be constructed in accordance with my U; S. Patent No. 885,310, the object being to insure the disconnection of the detached articles after present-ation to the stitching mechanism both for saving of thread and for convenience in subsequent handling. .As represented in the drawings, each clamping foot or check is'provided with a rocking pin which in practice carries at its lower end a thread-cutting knife and at its upper end a crank-arm 280 connected to the spring-re tracted rod 287 suitably sustained upon the work-clamp. ln the feeding movements of the work-clamp, the rearward end of this redis temporarily detained by a latch-plate 288 upon a crank-arm 289 fixed upon the forward end of the rock-shaft 290 jour- Depending from the table exsnaled in fixed bearings and provided atthe rearward end with the crank-arm 291 having at its extremity the socket 292 containing the spring-pressed pin 293 adapted for engagement with the upper edge Lof the collar 25 from whichl extends the lateral arm carrying the cutter-actuating stud Q5.

Loosely mounted upon the rock-shaft 290 is the hub 294 of a plural-armed rocker having a lateral arm 295 pivotally connected with the vertical rod 296 with its lower portion'slidingly fitted within an' aperture in the guide-plate 297 and carrying the lateral roller-stud'298 disposed beneath the clamplever extension 34. The rocker referred to has a depending arm 299 which in practice extends through an aperture in the bedplate 12 and is connected by suitable means with the lowerthread-severing element'.

'In the operation of the machine, the upper thread-cutter is retracted from operative position during the travel of the workyclamp in stitching the first side of the but.-

tonhole and is retained in such lposition until the actuation oi the stop-motion, the rise of whose plunger-rod causes the rocking of the shaft 290 and release of the cutteroperating rod 287 whose retraction under the action of its spring causes the actuation of the cutter to sever the upper thread. In the subsequent,automatic` opening of the clamp by means previously described, the

rod 296 is drawn downwardly by engagement of its stud 29S with the under face or" the clamp-lever extension 34', thereby imparting an operative movement to the plural-armed rocker whosedepending arm, through its connections with the lower thread 'cutting knife,l causes the automaticl lsevering of the lower thread.

By the operation of the described nipper-' 'releasing means and automatically 'acting thread-severing devices, not only is each carrier entirely cleared of work before arrival atinitial work-receiving position. but the disconnection of the detached articles previously subjected to the stitching opera tion is insured. Thus, the only operation'` required on the part-of the attendant is to insert the articles to be stitched with their bounding edges or corners in contact with- Figs. 1 to 6 inclusivel ot the drawings, the

carrier to receive the next article ,tol be stitched being in its foremost horizontal position, an'd the-nipper-release frame 249be ing lowered for 'retraction of the work-gripping elements or nippers. The first article having been introduced beneath the appertinued movement of the rock-lever effects the disengagement of the conveyer locking rod 238 from the sprocket-wheel 140 and continued retraction of the slide-bar 209 whose thrust collar 210 engages the lug 208 y i and retracts the slide-block 206 with the carriage then connected therewith so as to 'withdraw a stitched article from register with the right-hand stitching mechanism and to bring the stud 165 of such carriage into alinement 'with the track groove 203 from which it was temporarily displaced.l Preferably during this .stage of the opera tive cycle, the work-clamping feet 33 are lifted by actuation of the levers 256 in readiness i'or the advance of the work for a suc` ceeding stitching operation. I Under the action ot the stud 155 upon the cam-cylinder 103, the conveyer actuating mechanism re, ceives an operative impulse whereby the carrier containing the newly inserted article is carried into register with the left-hand stitch-forming mechanism while the carrier in advance thereof is movedvto a position opposite the right-hand stitch-forming mechanism. 1

The rock-.lever 215 now receives from the cam-cylinder 103 a movement in the oppo site direction which communicates return movements to the slide-bar 209 and locking rod238 by means of which latter the controlling sprocket-wheel 140 is innnediately locked againstrotation. The extremity 219 ofthe pawl-lever 220 having previously entered the notch 209 under the action of the spring 223, the return movement of the bar Q09 ac ts through such pawl-lever to move the slide-block 206-toward the right and with it, through the stud 164 165, the carriage 156 158 until the edge of the carrierplate 167 engages the angle-lever arm 232 (Fig. 10) lwhen the tripping trame 225 tilts the pawl-lever to disengage it from the bar 209 whichcontinues its movement idly,I as

regards the carrier `which remains in such position with its clearance aperture 168 in register with the work-clamp ot the right'- hand sewing machine. As the slide-bar 209 completes its return movement, the camblock 247 is again brought into operative relation with the tappet-block 246 (Fig. 9) and the nipper-release frame 249 is lowered to retract the nippers of the next succeeding work-carrier which has in" the meantime advanced into work-receiving position.

As the cam-shaft 44 completes its rotation,

' and in order cycle.

tracting the nearer work-nippers 1.93 from gripping relation with the work in order that "the adjacent portions ofthe latter may be freely acted upon by the feeding mechanisms in the stitching of the buttonholes. As theA cam-shaft 44- finishes its rotation, the Wing 71 of the clutch-pawl 71 rides upon the cam-finger 78, thereby uncoupling the cam-shaft from its driving means and permitting the same to remain idle until the end of the stitching-period just then begin-y ning.

At the completion of the stitching period, the stop-levers 27 are returned to initial stopping position under the action of their respective springs 30 and the rock-levers 26d 267 are operated 'to release the nipper-levers4 whereby the articles thus stitched are regripped upon their respective carriers. The final endwise reciprocation of the stop-motion plunger-rod of the right-hand sewing machine operates by engagement with the pawl-lever y93 to rock the controller-lever whereby the cam-finger 78 is disengaged from the clutch-pawl 71 which resumes its engagement with the ratchet-wheel 60 for a succeeding rotation of the cam-shaft initiating a new# work-advancing and stitching ln the operation of the conveyer, the parts thereof intermediate the forward and rearward ratchet-wheels are sustained by engagement of the roller-studs 146 with the supporting rails 147 (Figs. 3, 5 and 20); to sustain the corresponding portions of the conveyer beneath the table and within the casing 47, the parallel rails 300' (Figs. 1 and 2) are secured to the bottom of the table to receive 'the lateral pins 301 extending from the cross-ribs 302 (Figs. 8 and 10.) depending from the blocks 143.

Vifhile the machine is shown herein provided with vtwo stitching mechanisms arranged one in advance of the other relatively to the travel of the work and at opposite sides of the conveyer, it is obvious that the essential features of the work conveying means would operate with equal effectiveness 1n connection with only a single sewing `mechanism or with more than those herein shown and described, and that a plurality of buttonholes could obviously be made at the same end of each article in case that a plurality of sewing mechanisms were located upon the same side of the conveyor, in

which case the lateral shift of the carriage out of register with the guiding track 201 would be unnecessary. It is also evident that the precise order of the various steps of the work-handling means herein described is not essential, so long as they are not so timed inesatte as toconict in the presentation of the work to the stitching devices and its delivery therefron subsequent to the stitching operation or operations thereon.

lt is obvious that the Work-gripping ele.- ments or nippers 193 of each carrier might be connected to operate in unison, but it is' obviously preferable to have them separately operable so that each is maintained in gripping relation withthe work while the other is retracted for a stitching operation in the adjacent portion of the work sustained by the carrier. ments are represented in the form of nipperlevers, it is obvious that they may be otherwise constructedso long as they perform theirrequisite function of holding the work properly positioned upon the respective carriers so as to locate the proper portions of the articles tobe stitched Within'the range of action of the stitching mechanisms.

From the foregoing description, it will be understood thaty the present mechanism is susceptible of very material modification in the construction and arrangement of its component parts and the timing of their action; and that many of the parts may be omitted or. their scope of operation reduced or modified, without departure from the invention.

Having thus set forth the lnature of the inventidn what l claim herein is I l. ln combination, stitch-forming mechanism, work-feeding mechanism with means for grasping a fabric to be stitched, atraveling carrier adapted to engage and support said fabric, said carrier being provided with work-positioning means acting to locate the Although these gripping ele-y said carrier and being movable into and out of register with and adapted to deliver said fabric to the work-feeding mechanism, and means including an operative connection between said carrier and feeding mechanism for effecting the delivery of the work from the carrier to the feeding mechanism.

2. In combination, stitch-forming mechanism, feeding mechanism comprising a traveling work-clamp adapted to grasp al fabric to be stitched, a carrier provided with Work-gripping `and work-guiding means, means for shifting the carrier into and out of register with the feeding mechanism, and means whereby the gripping means are caused to be disengaged from the work during the action of the feeding mechanism.A 3. In combination, stitch-forming mechanism, work-feedingmechanism includingn bodily traveling clamping elements adapted to grasp the work between them, a carrier provided with work-positioning means and movable into and out of registerwith the Work feeding mechanism. Y actuating means for` said carrier, and4 an operative connection between the feeding mechanism 

